


The Pacemaker Incompetency

by blueberry_milk



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2020-08-19 02:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20202295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueberry_milk/pseuds/blueberry_milk
Summary: In a world where the whereabouts of the dirty sock is still unknown, how will Sheldon cross paths with the woman who is meant to set the rhythm of his heart? Shamy AU.





	1. The Chaotic Lunchbreak

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! I'm back with another story, but this time it's not a one shot. Updates might be posted weekly or more often if I have extra time on my hands. I do hope you'll enjoy this, please tell me your thoughts in the reviews.

Amy wasn’t able sleep well last night. Her mind was clouded with anxiety about leaving Harvard to accept a full-time job at Caltech. Ever since she finished her doctoral studies, she had never thought of transferring and living away from her parents. This nervousness takes her back to the time when she first entered high school. Like any other girl, she had hoped for a fun high school life with her classmates. Unfortunately, it only ended in agony, as she spent everyday getting bullied by almost everyone at school. She was terrified that the same thing will happen to her upon leaving Harvard. Despite of her desire for things to stay the same, she just can’t refuse the opportunity that Caltech was offering her. Now that she’s a known scientist in her field, she assured herself that she’d find a way to fit in a university as renowned as Caltech.

She stood up, roaming her eyes on her room one last time. Her room witnessed her growth, from a young girl who cries almost every night to a Neurobiologist whose face had been the cover of Neutron twice in a row. Amy never had an exciting childhood, but she was sure that she’ll miss everything in her childhood home. With a heavy heart, she finally closed the door of her room, leaving her memories with inside it.

Amy clutched her handbag and went downstairs to bid her goodbye to her parents. She saw them on the couch, patiently waiting for her to get down.

“Mom, dad, I’m leaving.” she said softly, trying to fight the urge to cry.

“Oh pumpkin, take good care of yourself there. Make sure to message or call us everyday, alright?” her dad enveloped her to a warm and comforting hug. _God, she’s gonna miss this so bad._

Amy broke the hug and turned to her mom. “Remember, don’t talk to strangers, don’t take drugs, don’t drink alcohol or any substance that is high in caffeine…” Mrs. Fowler held her daughter’s hands tightly, as if she never wanted to let her go. “And finally, we know how engrossed you can be while working so please, Amy, don’t forget to take a rest.” she smiled as a tear suddenly fell from her eye.

Amy nodded. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” she assured them. Amy’s heart swelled upon seeing how concerned her parents were about her well-being. For once, she thought, her parents were able to put their overprotectiveness into good use.

Mr. Fowler opened the drawer of the nightstand beside the couch, showing a black leather box. “We wanted to give this to you on your birthday, but we thought that now might be the right time for you to have it.” he uttered, still clutching the box in his hand. Mr. Fowler stretched his arm and gave Amy the box.

With shaky fingers, Amy eagerly opened the box. She gasped upon seeing its content. It was the watch she was about to buy with the advanced salary she got from Caltech.

“We’ve seen that you’ve been eyeing that one for a long time so we went out on a limb to buy it for you.”

Amy leaned forward and hugged her parents. “I can’t believe it! Thank you so much!” she exclaimed in glee. Her face beamed with happiness, as if she won the lottery.

Her mom grabbed the watch and put it into her daughter’s wrist. “Perfect.”

After a few more minutes, Amy finally took the courage to see herself out. It was already four in the afternoon, so she was afraid that she’ll be bombarded by traffic on her way to Pasadena. She said goodbye to her parents and hopped onto her car.

Amy pressed the lone button of her new watch. She set it into heart rate mode.

** _75 beats per minute._ ** _ Wonderful._

She turned the radio on and prepared herself for the long drive that was ahead of her.

* * *

Raj, Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard sat on their favorite spot on the cafeteria. It was their ritual to gather here during lunch break and eat lunch together. They were all having a good time talking about the new Star Wars movie when Sheldon suddenly let out a loud shriek, causing everyone to look at their table.

“Sheldon, what’s the matter?” Leonard asked calmly.

Sheldon grabbed his plate of jello and shoved it into Leonard’s face. “Do you see now why I’m very upset?” he asked, still holding the plate. Leonard glanced at Raj and Howard, but they only shook their heads. “I don’t even know why you’re shoving your dessert on my face, Sheldon.” he admitted. Sheldon put the plate down and crossed his arms.

“Today’s jello was orange flavored. Do you understand where I’m getting at?”

“Sorry, but I believe I don’t.”

Sheldon let out a deep sigh and turned his face to Leonard’s. “The cafeteria always serves pineapple flavored jello. For years, never have I encountered any flavor being served on my plate. Now that I’m already accustomed to the sweet and tasty flavor of pineapple, they change the flavor of the jello? That’s preposterous!” he exclaimed.

Once again, Leonard peeped at the two men in front of him who were already bearing the same defeated expression in their faces. They already know what’s coming, _a detailed discussion about jello for the rest of their lunch break. _

Raj, Howard, and Leonard just focused on eating while Sheldon kept on blabbering about some jello nonsense. When they thought that there’s nothing that could make this lunch break worse, a girl walks into the cafeteria, with her eyes locked on their table.

"Holy crap in a cracker, she's here again..." Howard used his left hand to hide his face from the woman that was about to approach their table.

“S-Should we pretend to not see her and just run for our lives?” Raj asked in a shaky voice. Before all of them could find a good place to hide, a tall and slender figure already stood before them. As Raj would say, she is a blonde, attractive, and manipulative witch who seems to enjoy pestering their social group with her unbelievable annoyingness.

"Hello, Dr. Cooper!" she greeted enthusiastically, not even minding that Sheldon had company.

"Well hello to you too, Dr. Nowitzki." 

Ramona grinned upon hearing Sheldon’s reply. She started twirling her blonde locks, attempting to flirt with the emotionless robot before her. As much as the guys hated Ramona’s frequent interruption of their lunch break, they can’t deny that watching Ramona being turned down by Sheldon every single time made their lunches a bit more entertaining. She was persistent, like an alien parasite, but not persistent enough to break the strong walls that Sheldon built for himself.

"I was thinking if you could spare some time to help me with my current paper? It's about string theory, so I thought that I could use your help on finishing it." she asked, using her most flirtatious voice. "If you're available tonight, I could drop by your apartment and buy some pizza for dinner." 

Sheldon pondered about Ramona’s offer. Sure, he _loves_ free food. But if it’s coming from Ramona… Well… he’ll rather die from starvation than accept her offer for pizza.

He turned his head to her while she watched him in anticipation. "Thank you for the offer but I'm not in the mood for pizza." Sheldon declared.

Ramona nodded, accepting the challenge. "What about Thai then? I know a restaurant that serves delicious thai food just around the corner. We could eat dinner there while you discuss your thoughts about my paper.”

"About that, I--" 

Just as when he was about to turn down Ramona once and for all, the doors of the cafeteria swung open as a young, bespectacled woman stepped inside.

“I don’t know about you, but my lunch break just got more exciting!” Raj smirked as he stood up, eyeing the woman as if he’s a predator. Sheldon turned his head to see the woman which caused Raj to elicit such action. _Nothing out of the ordinary, he observed._ Her dark hair flowed until her shoulders, her emerald orbs frantically roamed the entire room, and also, she wore layers and layers of clothes. Not that he cares, but he found it odd to see someone putting a lot of layers when the weather is so warm outside.

Howard stood beside Raj and tapped his shoulders. “Leonard has Penny, I have Bernadette, and Sheldon’s an emotionless robot so…” he winked at him before continuing. “I think she’s all yours.”

Sheldon scoffed at the two of them. He was sure that Raj will not be able to woo that woman to go out with him. By the looks of it, the woman who just entered appears to be someone intelligent and knowledgeable enough to decline Raj’s advances.

With eyes still fixated on the newcomer, another figure entered the cafeteria. This time, it was President Siebert.

The president cleared his throat to gain the attention of everyone in the cafeteria. "Listen, everyone!” he clapped twice to make sure that all attention was on him. “As you all know, Caltech has been expanding its research parameters in the pursuit of the advancement of Science. Last month, we have announced the formation of several research teams in the university. Today, it is my great pleasure to present to you the head of the newly established Neurobiology research team, none other than the brilliant Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler!” he announced proudly.

The bespectacled woman beside him took a step forward and tightened her grip on her skirt. "Hello, I am Amy Farrah Fowler and I'll be working at Caltech from now on." she said with ample softness in her voice.

The president’s great news caused the entire room to be filled with happy cheers and loud clapping.

Sheldon crossed his arms once again, as if he was thinking something of utmost importance. “Amy Farrah Fowler. Where have I heard that name?” Sheldon asked himself, trying to remember if he had met her before. If she was a new employee at Caltech, it’s impossible for him to have met her around the university. And he was also certain that he never met her outside work, since the only places he visits are the grocery store, the train store, and the comic bookstore. If he hadn’t met her before, _why does her name ring a bell on his mind? _

Sheldon was unaware that Leonard heard his mumble to himself. He knew firsthand that Sheldon wasn’t the type of guy who would interact with someone who is not his colleague. With that thought in mind, he only reached one plausible explanation. “Hmm, this is my first time seeing her so I’m certain that we don’t know her personally.” he stated. “Since she’s a published scientist, what if you’ve heard of her name though other sources, like online journals or science magazines?”

_Leonard had a valid point, Sheldon thought. _However, given that he’s an exceptional theoretical physicist, why would he bother reading a paper about biology online?

_Wait, wait. _

** _Online. _ **

** _ Online. _ **

** _ Online. _ **

_Yes, online. _

_Now it all made sense. _

The familiarity of the name, it struck them all at the same time. Sheldon felt the wave of memories hit him like a truck. _The hidden dirty sock. The dating site. The coffee shop. The girl…_

Sheldon, Raj, and Howard looked at each other in horror.

_She was Amy Farrah Fowler. The woman he ditched two years ago. _


	2. The Schoolbell Salvation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I would like to thank everyone who read the first part of this story! I was so glad to see that a lot of people are already anticipating my updates. I just want to ask for your patience for I might not be able to update regularly. However, I have already outlined the entire story plot so rest assured that updates will keep coming your way. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, please tell me your thoughts about it in the reviews!

Mary Cooper had taught his boys, Sheldon and Georgie, to always be kind and considerate to people. Georgie might have been led astray from this principle over time, but Sheldon made sure to live by this teaching despite of his reluctancy to interact with other people. He wasn’t a sociable person, but he attends to other people when they’re in dire need of his help. Even as an adult, Sheldon had always instilled his mother’s teaching in his day to day life. Unfortunately, seeing the woman he ditched two years ago made him ponder if he was still the same Texan gentleman that his mother worked so hard to raise.

“Amy Farrah Fowler? As in, _the Amy Farrah Fowler?_” Howard asked, still shocked at her presence.

Raj turned to Howard. “She can’t be that woman! I can’t let future Mrs. Koothrappali get away from me!” he exclaimed. The thought of her remembering the incident and confronting them about it drained the blood in their faces. Raj, Howard, and Sheldon became fidgety, like earthworms squirming in a bowl filled with salt.

Leonard, on the other hand, had no idea why his friends acted strangely after the arrival of Amy Farrah Fowler. _How did the three of them know her? Was she Howard’s ex? Was she a scientist who competed with Sheldon in the past? And finally, the million dollar question, **why were they looking at her as if they’d seen a ghost?**_

Curiosity is one of the greatest strengths that a scientist has. Sure enough, Leonard Hofstadter was one curious scientist. He would never let this slide, not until he knows about what happened between them and the woman who was recently introduced by the president. 

Leonard cleared his throat, aiming to tame the vehement air surrounding them. “What’s the matter? She looks like a lovely woman.” he commented.

“Leonard, you already have Penny. May I remind you that one cannot row a single boat in opposite directions.” Sheldon blurted. Leonard felt the wrinkles in his forehead multiply because of his statement. He reminded himself that in order to get the answer he wants, he needs to be patient. He took a deep breath and crossed his arms. “I didn’t mean it that way.” the bespectacled man started. “I felt like there’s something going on with you and that girl and… I wanted to know that it is.”

The three of them just looked at Leonard, who was now bowing his head because of embarrassment.

“Look, Leonard, we just didn’t want you to be included in this mess.” Raj admitted. “But if you’re still curious, let us tell you a story.”

“Two years ago, we enlisted Sheldon to an online dating site because we thought that if he gets preoccupied with someone, he’ll finally stop being such a pain in the ass.” Howard narrated, with eyes still on Leonard.

“We answered the questionnaires the way Sheldon would and we found a match for him. Her name is Amy Farrah Fowler. Unfortunately, Sheldon—” Raj turned to Sheldon. “Ditched the girl on their supposed date on a coffee shop.” 

Leonard let out a soft “oohh” sound after hearing their story. He knew Sheldon’s aversion to physical interaction and intimacy, but he never thought that he was capable of actually ditching someone because of it.

Sheldon pursed his lips as he glanced at Amy, who was now roaming table to table with President Siebert. With panic written all over his face, he signaled his friends to leave the cafeteria before they reach their table. They finished their lunch as fast as they could then stood up and grabbed their trays. Just as they were about to leave, their pathway to escape was blocked by President Siebert and his companion.

“Now, I’ll introduce you to the men of the Physics department! Here’s Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali and Engineer Howard Wolowitz of the Astrophysics department.” Amy extended her hand to the two men in front of her and shook their hands. “Also, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter of the Experimental Physics department.” Out of courtesy, Leonard reached out his sweaty and shaky hand to meet Amy’s own. President Siebert then turned to the tall figure beside Leonard. “Last but not the least, the undisputed star of Science Today, none other than Dr. Sheldon Cooper of the Theoretical Physics department!” he proclaimed proudly. When it was time for her to shake Sheldon’s hand, she tightened her grip, causing him to twitch a little. An overwhelming spark of electricity flowed into Sheldon’s entire body when his skin touched hers.

Amy locked her eyes with Sheldon, who was now feeling his legs turn soft as the jello he was eating earlier. He didn’t know what her look meant. _Was she happy? Sad? Angry?_ Given his lack of social interaction with other people, it was almost impossible for him to decipher what she was trying to imply.

After a few seconds. Amy finally let go of Sheldon’s hand. The president sensed familiarity between the two of them, like they have met each other before. “By any chance Dr. Fowler, have you met Dr. Cooper already?” he questioned, trying not to sound as if he was prying about their private lives.

The president’s inquiry caused Amy to let out a small smile. “Yes, I believe that we know each other.” Amy replied curtly.

President Siebert clapped in delight. “Wonderful! At least adjusting here would be somehow easier for you.”

Sheldon grunted at Amy’s response. He had to leave, or else she might say something about the date. He was about to lose hope but the bell suddenly rang, signaling that the lunch break was over. The pathway to escape had finally shown itself.

“Excuse us, but we have to go back to our offices since lunch break’s over.” he said in a fake apologetic voice. Sheldon used his koala face and turned to Amy, who was still looking at him with undecipherable intent in her eyes. “It was wonderful finally seeing you, Dr. Fowler. See you around the university.” he remarked as he and the boys hurried to their respective offices.

No one dared to talk about their encounter with Amy during their walk. As Sheldon reached his office, he immediately locked the door and leaned on it.

_That was close, Sheldon thought. Thank goodness for the invention of school bells. _

Sheldon did everything in his power to forget everything that happened during their lunch break. However, with his eidetic memory, he still can’t erase the look Amy Farrah Fowler gave him earlier. Her emerald orbs haunted his mind, forbidding him to accomplish anything. Thoughts about their encounter filled his mind until he eventually lost track of time.

“Sheldon?” asked Leonard as he opened the door of Sheldon’s office. His train of thought was interrupted by his roommate’s arrival. “Pardon me, what is it Leonard?” he replied.

Leonard glanced at the clock above Sheldon’s head. “It’s 20 minutes past 5 pm, we were supposed to drop by the comic book store for new comic book night.” Leonard stated with a hint of concern in his voice. For the past few years that they’ve been together, he was very certain that Sheldon never forgets his schedules. It bothered Leonard that he was not adhering to his normally strict schedule, given that his roommate is the poster boy for punctuality,

“Yes, right.” Sheldon nodded. He stood up from his chair and wore his belt bag and windbreaker. “Let’s go.”

Although he loved Sheldon’s silence during their walk to the car, Leonard knows that something is not right. Leonard glanced at him through his peripheral vision. He was just walking. _Just walking,_ not complaining about a mediocre problem or an annoying co-worker who ruined his mood.

With his uneasiness getting the best of him, Leonard convinced himself that had to intervene.

“Would you want to talk to about what happened with Amy earlier?”

Sheldon gasped upon hearing the question. He suddenly stopped walking. “Now you’re referring to her by her first name? Wow Leonard, I never thought you were _that_ kind of guy.” he grunted. Leonard’s grin grew wider with his response. _Yes, that’s it. Let’s get that old Sheldon back. _

Leonard tried to played dumb and innocent. “Don’t mind me, I was just curious. Given your problems in dealing with closure, aren’t you bothered with how things ended with you and Dr. Fowler?”

Leonard knew he hit the right button with his last statement. Sheldon stared blankly at him, with Leonard’s words ringing into his head.

_Closure._

_Dr. Fowler._

** _Closure with Dr. Fowler. _ **

Sheldon gripped Leonard’s arm and lead him to another direction. He dragged him towards the exit of the Physics building. “Sheldon, what are you doing?”

“Closure, Leonard. I’m giving her the closure that she deserves.”

_Mission accomplished. _Leonard smirked in triumph as they reached the door of the newly renovated Biology building.

Sheldon looked at each door that he and Leonard passed by. He was unsuccessful in finding her name engraved in one of those doors. When they were about to leave the building, they saw a delivery man carrying a small package. After looking closer to see the consignee, shock filled their faces.

_Amy Farrah Fowler. _

They followed the delivery man discreetly, trying not to look suspicious. He led them to the last door of the long corridor. They waited for a few minutes for the delivery man to leave before they made their way in front of the door.

"You knock the door.” Sheldon ordered Leonard. The other shook his head in response. “Why would I? The reason why we’re here is because of you. Plus, I barely know the woman.” he insisted.

Sheldon rolled his eyes in annoyance. “This was a bad decision. Let’s go, Leonard.” he said as he tugged Leonard’s arm again. Leonard removed Sheldon’s hand with brute force then turned his face towards him. “Averting the problem won’t solve anything. You have to finish what you started.”

Feeling defeated, Sheldon let out a long sigh. He took all the courage he could muster to knock the door before him.

_*knock knock knock* Amy Farrah Fowler_

_*Knock knock knock* Amy Farrah Fowler_

_*knock knock knock* Amy Farrah Fowler_

Sheldon felt his heart beat rapidly, as if it was about to escape from his rib cage. He clutched his pants tightly as he and Leonard waited for the door to be opened.

This feeling was new to him, for he had never felt this nervous in his entire life. His eyes watched in anticipation as a woman opened the door for them.

Amy looked different from the first time they met her. Her hair was in a tight ponytail while her incredibly thick layer of clothing is now covered by her long-sleeved laboratory gown. She smiled at sight of them. “Can I do anything for you, gentlemen?” she inquired.

Leonard glanced at Sheldon, who was now stunned. Since he wasn’t going to talk anytime soon, he took the initiative to state the reason why they paid her a visit.

“Uhm, we would like to talk to you, in private.”

Amy ushered the two of them inside her lab. Leonard’s eyes roamed the entire room. There wasn’t much inside, only a few piles of unopened laboratory stocks and equipment. He turned back his attention to Amy, who was standing in front of them.

“I-I think you remember my friend right here, not just from your recent interaction with him but because… well, of another reason.” Leonard said in a shaky voice as he pinched Sheldon back to reality. “I wasn’t really involved with what happened, but I would like to explain Sheldon’s side to you. You see, the other two men you met earlier, Dr. Koothrappali and Engr. Wolowitz, set up Sheldon in a dating site without his consent. They meant no harm, they just wanted him to meet someone who can, you know, make his steel heart collapse.” Leonard narrated.

Amy let out another smile. “I do appreciate the sentiment, but I also want to hear some words coming from him.” The brunette pointed her index finger to Sheldon, who was quiet the entire time. Sheldon felt another pinch coming from Leonard, telling him that it was about time for him to say something.

Sheldon took a huge step forward, almost filling the gap between him and Amy. He remembered his mom’s advice in dealing with awkward situations. _Be calm and respectful. Own up to your mistakes. Say sorry when you know you’re at fault._ Now feeling confident as ever, he locked his eyes with Amy’s. “I’m sorry if I ditched you. I never meant to hurt your feelings. Personal interaction and intimacy are just not my cup of tea.” he said with seriousness and sincerity in his voice. “I hope this incident would not taint our professional relationship.” Sheldon added.

Amy shook her head as she accepted his apology. “Certainly, Dr. Cooper. Thank you for clarifying your side. 

Leonard tapped Sheldon’s shoulder, indirectly saying that he did a wonderful job in handling the situation with Amy. If only his mom could see him, she would be so proud.

After reaching a conclusion to their dilemma, Leonard told Amy that it was about time for them to head out. Still smiling, Amy opened the door for her visitors. “Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you two around.”

“Thank you as well, Dr. Fowler.” Leonard replied as they stepped out of her laboratory. They exchanged glances one last time before she started closing the door. Just before the lock clicked, Sheldon’s hand stopped the door from fully closing.

“Dr. Fowler, I think it’s necessary for me to make amends for my behavior.” Sheldon firmly stated. “Dr. Hofstadter and I are roommates, so I think he wouldn’t mind if I invite you over for dinner.”

Amy was shocked by the sudden invitation. She had never been invited to dinner by anyone before. As excited as she was, she was afraid of going to a stranger’s house. Her mom never let her play with other kids in their neighborhood, for she insists that it is not safe to interact with people she just met. This attitude of her mother was the reason she ended up having no friends until now.

Amy contemplated about their offer. _Hmmm, the two of them seemed nice and reputable people, she thought. _

** _Maybe one dinner with them wouldn’t hurt. _ **

“I see no reason to refuse. Thank you for the offer, I’d gladly accept it.”

Sheldon grinned upon hearing her answer. “Dinner starts at 7 pm. Given that I still have your email from the dating site, I will email you our address later.”

“In return for my acceptance of your offer, I want you to drop the formality. After all, we are colleagues. I would want the both of you to call me by my first name.”

Sheldon and Leonard shook their heads. Sheldon gripped his belt bag as he gazed at her. “Well then, see you later, Amy.”

When they started to walk away, Amy shut the door. She returned to the microscope slide that she was observing prior to the arrival of her visitors. Only a few moments later, her phone vibrated.

** _1 New Email _ **

_From: Sheldon Lee Cooper ([sheldonleecooper@gmail.com](mailto:sheldonleecooper@gmail.com))_

_To: Amy Farrah Fowler ([affowler@gmail.com](mailto:affowler@gmail.com))_

_Greetings!_

_As promised, here is our full address: 2311 North Los Robles Avenue, Apartment 4A. Note that the parking in front of our apartment is free of charge, so you can park if you want to (that is, if you own a car)._

_I will be anticipating your arrival at exactly 7 pm._

_Yours Truly,_

_Sheldon Lee Cooper_

Amy felt giddiness enter her system after reading his email. She placed her phone back to her pocket, with a wide grin painted on her face. 

_Well, it seems like her move to Caltech wasn’t a bad idea at all. _


	3. The Dinner Anticipation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry for the late update! I tried my hardest to patch this chapter up during my extremely short breaks. Again, I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter! You don’t know how happy I am when I read your thoughts about my story. 
> 
> I hope you’ll like it, please tell me what you think about in the reviews.

  
_Green._

The cars, the buildings, the billboards, all of them were enveloped in a certain shade of green.

Sheldon blinked, trying to get a grasp of reality. He looked around once more, hoping that everything will return to normal. However, it didn’t. Everything still looked the same.

_Everything was still green._

He squeezed his temples as he resorted to his final option. He shut his eyes, leaving all of the traces of green behind. Now, he couldn’t see anything but pitch black.

A few minutes in, a light slowly approached him. It was like the sun, the only thing is that, it wasn’t of the same color. He focused more closely as he identified the source of light.

_Closer._

_Just a bit closer._

Sheldon tightened his grip on his pants as he looked closely at the two orbs which was staring back at him. Emerald. _Just like her eyes._

At numerous instances, Sheldon had always boasted the privileges that only his eidetic memory could bestow him. Throughout the years, this remarkable memory had been very beneficial to him, both in his personal and professional life. He could recite pi in any place value he wants without even trying, he could remember how much Penny owes him for all the food she had at their apartment and most importantly, he could memorize all formulas and equations with just one glance. “Life is easier with eidetic memory” has been his mantra for as long as he could remember. Much to his dismay, those good old days already ended today. For the first time, Sheldon Cooper admitted that having an eidetic memory is both a blessing and a curse.

Sheldon slowly opened his eyes. _Good lord,_ he mumbled. No matter how hard he try to forget it, those green eyes still find its way to crawl back to his mind.

His eyes travelled left, relieved to see Leonard sitting beside him. Because of the intrapersonal dilemma that he was battling, he didn’t even notice that Leonard was listening to the radio. He wanted to turn off the music and tell him that he violated article 6, section 1 of the roommate agreement, but he believed that he had more important things to attend to. With shaky hands, he reached out for his phone and opened his email.

_If I just allowed the lock of the door to click, then I wouldn't have to be in this miserable state._

He knew well that his mother didn’t raise a coward who isn’t true to his words. With a defeated sigh, he stared to compose a message to Amy Farrah Fowler, as he promised.

_Well, it’s now or never._

Despite of his reluctancy, he still pressed send.

He glanced at his phone, waiting for her to reply. A part of him wanted her to decline and say that she has other things to do. He wasn’t ready to face her again, especially after how Leonard did most of the work for him when they went to visit her. Sheldon leaned forward and reached for the volume button of the radio. He pressed thrice, successfully lowering the volume of the current Jonas Brothers song that was playing.

“Oh, sorry if I opened the radio. You were too deep in your thoughts so I didn’t bother you.” Leonard apologized.

“It’s fine. I would want to ask something of you.”

Leonard turned his face to Sheldon, bewildered that he didn’t nag him for playing the radio. Thank goodness for the traffic, or else they could’ve swerved lanes because Leonard took his eyes off the road.

“Sure buddy, what is it?”

Sheldon looked at his best friend, whose eyes were closely watching his every move. “Is it okay if we suspend new comic book night and just head home?” he asked softly. Leonard bulged his eyes upon hearing his plea. Earlier, he left the office 20 minutes later than his usual schedule and now, he wants to skip their weekly new comic book day? He couldn’t believe it, not only once, but twice did Sheldon deviate from his normal routine today.

Leonard stared at him blankly for another ten seconds. The bespectacled driver only came back to his senses when he heard several angry beeping sounds from the cars behind them, signaling that they must start moving immediately. He turned away from Sheldon and started driving once again.

Sheldon grunted, showing his displeasure upon the recent interruption. Leonard still owed him an answer. He cleared his throat to ask him once more. “Well, what do you think?”

“I don’t mind. Besides, we can always drop by the comic bookstore anytime we want. On the other hand, it’s not everyday you invite someone at our place for dinner.” Leonard smirked. Sheldon felt heat radiate through his ears because of how his best friend naughtily delivered his statement. As much as Sheldon hated to break his tightly bound schedule, it was already 5:45 in the afternoon and he deduced that they would be late for dinner if they proceed with their usual ritual of gathering at Stuart’s shop. Knowing their awkward history, Sheldon didn’t want to ditch Amy for the second time around.

After getting past the horrendous traffic, the two physicist finally reached Los Robles avenue in no time. A sudden wave of nervousness hit Sheldon as he started unclasping his seatbelt. His pants showed that his hands have been evidently perspiring non-stop upon their arrival. They walked towards their apartment floor with only a tense, quiet air accompanying them. Leonard grabbed his keys from his pocket and opened the door. Just as they were about to enter, the door behind them opened, revealing a tall, blonde figure emerging from the inside.

“Hey!” Penny remarked as she went over to kiss Leonard on the cheek. “What took you guys so long?” she questioned. Leonard gazed at Sheldon, his eyes asked if he could tell Penny everything that has happened today. Sheldon rolled his eyes in response. “Do as you please. I don’t even care, Leonard.” he replied as he closed the door and rushed to his spot on the couch.

Penny shot her boyfriend an unknowing look, which Leonard returned with a small smile. “You won’t believe what happened today.” he grinned, reminiscing every single thing about their encounter with the mysterious Amy Farrah Fowler. “I’ll come over and tell you everything.”

Penny escorted Leonard to her apartment, looking forward to hear about his story. Before they could enter 4B, Leonard remembered something and ran back to his apartment.

“Sheldon?” he said as he knocked the door. “What would you want for dinner?”

Leonard heard him pause the television. A brief silence filled Sheldon’s room.

“For god’s sake, I don’t even know. My schedule for tonight is already wrecked so I won’t mind if you pick what’s for dinner.”

Strike three. Leonard flickered his eyes in disbelief. Sheldon Cooper allowed him to pick a food for dinner? What the heck got into him today?

He turned at Penny who was watching him in anticipation. “What would a girl like for dinner?” Leonard asked.

Penny was unsure how to answer his question. Was this based on what I would like, or on what I think another girl would like?

“For a fact, most women appreciate fancy dinner dates. But if it’s dinner at home, I think takeout or pizza’s fine.” Penny knowingly stated. She emphasized the “women appreciate fancy dinner dates” part, hoping that Leonard could take a cue for their next date night.

“Very well. Sheldon, is pizza okay with you?”

Sheldon huffed. This day had already been disastrous, so he was convinced that there’s nothing left for him to lose. “Pizza it is.” he replied. After Leonard made the call to their favorite pizzeria, a giddy Penny tugged Leonard’s arm and dragged him with her, eager for him to spill the beans.

* * *

_Dr. Wackadoodle is having a girl over for dinner! Make sure to swing by at 7 so you won’t miss this momentous event. – P_

_Wait, a girl? Like, an actual girl? – B_

_Yes, she recently just moved to Caltech today. You won’t believe what Leonard told me earlier about her and Sheldon! – P_

_Oh my god, spill the tea!!! – B_

_Seems like our little Shelly had an affair with this girl two years ago. Now that she’s back, Sheldon can’t get himself together. – P_

_Holy freaking crap! Fill me with the details later. Also, put the kettle on, I’ll be there at 6:30. – B_

The news of Sheldon inviting a woman over for dinner spread like wildfire in their small social group. Penny, given her inclination to gossip, became the sole catalyst of the fire.

It was already 6:11, but Bernadette was still in the middle of work. She was ought to leave the laboratory at 7, since she still had several papers to file for the new drug that she has been testing. The blonde twirled her locks and contemplated about the pros and cons of ditching her work to come over at Sheldon’s for dinner. After a few moments of thinking, Bernadette wore her coat and grabbed her sling bag. She concluded that if it meant seeing the girl Sheldon was romantically interested with, she’ll wholeheartedly go to work early and face the mountain of paperwork that will welcome her the next morning.

Excitement and enthusiasm filled her veins as she hastily went downstairs to fetch her car. Aside from the fact that she wanted to somehow pry with Sheldon’s newfound romantic interest, she was also genuinely happy that this dinner could lead to something magical for her friend. That might sound unbelievable coming from the harsh and blunt Bernadette that their social group was accustomed to, but it was genuinely true. Despite of her harsh words, deep down, she also wanted him to find someone he can spend his entire life with.

Upon reaching her parking spot, Bernadette hopped inside her car. Her phone chimed a few times, but she didn’t mind picking it up. She just smiled to herself and drove faster, yearning to hear from Penny everything that she needed to know.

* * *

_**6:30 pm. **_  
A sudden knock sent shivers down Sheldon’s entire body. _Could it be her?_ Sheldon stood up from his spot, feeling an incredible weight upon his shoulders. His shaky fingers latched to the door’s handle, slowly opening it. He closed his eyes for a second, afraid that he might faint at the sight of her. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the smell of cherries that welcomed him. It was the meaty smell of pizza.

“Dr. Sheldon Cooper? Here’s your pizza delivery.” the delivery man smiled as he handed him four boxes of pizza. Sheldon took his wallet which was sitting beside their key bowl and gave the exact amount to the delivery man. After receiving the money, he took his red cap off and bid Sheldon goodbye.

Sheldon placed the pizzas in the center table in front of the couch. He stared at the boxes as she felt the rapid beating of his heart.

_Holy freaking goodness, that was a close one._

_**6:45 pm.**_  
Sheldon anxiously looked at the clock, watching closely the movement of each hand. He tried watching Star Trek to ease his nervousness, but it didn’t work. All he could think about was how dreadfully close the clock was to reaching 7. Feeling hopeless, he turned off the player and placed the CD back to its respective box. He was already done, but before he could return the box to its place in their shelf, he was rattled by the sudden opening of the door.

“Hey, Sheldon!” Bernadette greeted, with Penny walking alongside her. The both of them seemed to be in such a good mood. “Looking tense, aren’t we?” she giggled, turning Sheldon’s face upside down.

“Oh no, moonpie. This is a big night, you can’t frown like that!” Penny said as she approached him.

“It’s just a dinner, Penny. A casual dinner. The only reason I invited her tonight is because I was feeling guilty with what I did to her before. My mother had raised me to become a Texan gentleman, and that is what I am trying to do with this gesture.” Sheldon insisted firmly. Despite of his honesty, Penny and Bernadette can’t help but give him a mischievous smile. Leonard might’ve argued in the past that Sheldon does not possess hormones, but they all know that beneath his emotionless nature, there still lies a man inside him. Penny and Bernadette was certain that with the help of the right woman, his so-called “non-existent” hormones would get going like of a rowdy teenager.

As Penny approached him, she noticed how uneasy Sheldon had been since their arrival. In an attempt to console him, she went closer and held his sweaty hands. “Calm down, Sheldon. Everything’s going to be just fine, trust me.” she assured him. Penny led him to the couch and sat down with him.

Bernadette, who was sitting in the lone chair, also gave her encouragement by tapping Sheldon by the shoulder. Sheldon let out a small smile, appreciating the kindness that his friends has given him. “It’s just a dinner, there’s nothing to worry about.” he said, but this time, with conviction. Bernadette grinned upon hearing the change of tone in his voice. “You’re Sheldon Lee Cooper, what’s the worst thing that could happen?”

_**7:00 pm. **_  
The clock's both hands finally reached 7 and 12. The gang were hurled up on the couch, with all eyes intensely glaring at the door. Sheldon made cranking sounds as he tightly gripped his water bottle. _Where is she? What is taking her so long?_ He wanted to message her that it was already one minute past 7, but he stopped himself from doing so. If he endured several hours of waiting earlier, he was sure that waiting for a few minutes more would be just a breeze.

Sheldon glanced at everyone, who were sharing the same nervous look in their faces. He didn’t want to admit it, but he felt really grateful for the support that his friends had showered him the entire day. Inviting Amy over for dinner with his friends was certainly a better idea than having to face her alone in a fancy restaurant.

He looked at the clock once again. _7:10 pm. _  
He opened his phone to check for new messages coming from her, but he didn’t get any.

_Maybe she isn’t really going to come. Maybe she wanted to return the favor by ditching me as well, the same way I did to her._

When the clock hit the 7:15 mark, Sheldon stood up to grab another bottle of water.

“Look, Sheldon. I’m sor—”

“Don’t be, Leonard.” he interjected. “I deserve it. I stood her up two years ago, so I can’t expect her to forgive me with open arms.” Sheldon said as he twisted the cap of his bottle.

He felt a mysterious pang of guilt and sadness hit him. He initially wanted her to decline his offer but on the back of his mind, he also wanted her to accept it, for he wanted to learn more about her in order to feed his curiosity.

With a disappointed look painted in his face, he walked back to the couch and opened one box of pizza. “I think we must consume this before it gets col—”

His sentence was cut short when a loud knock resonated inside the room. All of them turned at each other, verifying if the sound they heard was not just a fraction of their imagination. They were stunned when the knock occurred again. Howard let out a warm smile to Sheldon, who was currently standing like a statue in front of them.

“Open the door, Sheldon. She’s waiting for you.” he whispered softly. Without a word, Sheldon walked to the door and clutched the handle. He let out a deep sigh before he opened the door.

His eidetic memory served him well. He was right, _she did smell like cherries._


	4. The Friendship Commencement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for patiently waiting! I’m sorry again for the delay, I hope you'll continue to stick with this story despite of my irregular updates. Please enjoy and let me know what you think about it in the reviews.

Amy drove home at exactly 6:20 pm to freshen herself up before going to Los Robles. Growing up, she had never been invited to a casual lunch or dinner before (her lunches with colleagues about work doesn't count) so she didn't know the protocol on how this type of gathering works. All she knows is that she wanted the dinner to go well, for she was hoping to finally make friends with the people in her new workplace.

Given the time constraint, she took a much shorter shower than the one she usually have. After showering, she wore her white robe, wrapped her hair in a towel, and stood blankly in front of her closet. She didn't have a vast variety of formal clothes; she only had a few dresses, two jeans, and a whole bunch of blouses, cardigans, and skirts. She contemplated about wearing her normal "cardigan and skirt combo" but she immediately dismissed the thought. Instead, she decided to wear something special for this occasion. Amy grabbed the black, knee-length dress she wore only during her doctoral graduation. A smile escaped her lips as her fingers ran through the fabric of the dress. She wasn't a fan of public speaking, but she can't help but feel giddy whenever she remembers the time when she delivered her speech in front of the people who mocked her and made fun of her in graduate school. The look of horror in their faces was something Amy wanted to commit to her memory for the rest of her life.

Despite of her excitement to wear the dress, Amy was worried that it might not fit her anymore since it has been years since the last time she wore it. Thankfully upon trying it, the dress still fit her perfectly. The black dressed showcased her body's curves that were usually covered in a thick layer of clothing. When she was already satisfied with her look, she grabbed her coat and purse then left her apartment.

The drive to Los Robles only took a few minutes. Amy stopped in front of their apartment building and parked her car just as Sheldon instructed. As she was about to leave the car, her watch suddenly beeped and vibrated, signaling that it was time for her to take her medications.

"Damn!" Amy uttered. Because of the preparations for the dinner at 4A, she completely forgot to take her medicines. She tried to scan the area for a nearby pharmacy, but she wasn't able to find any. Amy glanced at her watch to check the time. _7:12._

With a heavy sigh, Amy decided not to go back to her apartment to fetch her medicines and just push through with the dinner. She walked inside the apartment building, hoping that an elevator would welcome her but alas, she was dismayed when she saw that the elevator was not working. Amy groaned in annoyance as she stared at the staircase. It was clear to her that she had no choice but to run hastily towards their apartment floor to make it in time. Feeling defeated, Amy ran towards 4A as if her life depended on it.

Amy reached the fourth floor in no time. She clutched her chest while she leaned on 4A's door.

She felt the continuous beeping of her watch as she tried to catch her breath. When she already gained her composure, she took all the courage she could muster to knock the door before her.

Amy waited a few seconds for a response, but there was no one who opened the door for her.

She was starting to get nervous. _What if the address Sheldon gave her was wrong?_ Despite of her nervousness, Amy curled her fists and decided to knock again.

She felt her heart rate quicken as the door swung open, revealing a lanky, tall man wearing a red flash t-shirt. Sheldon finally met the emerald eyes that haunted him the entire day. He blinked, trying to see if this encounter was true. Amy Farrah Fowler was standing in front of his door, looking absolutely different from the last time they saw her. She wore a black knee-length dress and her cardigan was replaced by a brown coat. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was slightly disheveled, and her breathing was erratic, as if she ran before getting there. His curious eyes examined her, as if she was something of great importance. When their eyes finally met, Amy smiled at Sheldon.

"Hello, I'm sorry I was late." she said in an apologetic voice. _This was the first time anyone ever invited me to a dinner and I arrive a few minutes late? Way to go, Fowler._

Sheldon returned her smile and ushered her in. "Don't worry, it was no big deal."

"No big deal, huh." Leonard said under his breath, making Penny and Bernadette giggle.

As Amy entered the apartment, she was surprised to see a lot of unfamiliar faces gathered in the couch. "Forgive me, I wasn't able to inform you that my will be joining the dinner because they wanted to meet you."

Penny took it as a cue to finally introduce herself to Sheldon's new lady friend. She stood up and started walking towards Amy. "Hello Amy, it's so good to meet you! I'm Penny by the way, Leonard's girlfriend." She said as she enveloped the confused brunette into a tight hug.

After Penny broke the hug, another blonde rose from her seat. "And I'm Bernadette, Howard's girlfriend." Bernadette stretched her arm to Amy and enthusiastically shook her hand.

Never did Amy consider being in the same social gathering with the likes of Penny and Bernadette. Those pretty girls were the kind of girls who picked on her in school, so took her by surprise that they were completely different from the blondes she had encountered before.

"You've met the guys earlier, so no need to re-introduce them." Sheldon said as he sat down on his spot. Raj approached Amy and grabbed her left hand. "It's nice to meet you, Amy." Raj uttered seductively as he bent down to kiss Amy's hand.

Being bothered by his gesture, Howard finally stood up and separated Raj from Amy. "I'm sorry, Raj tends to get overwhelmed around women."

Penny scooted closer to Leonard to give space for Amy on the couch. She slowly tapped the foam, telling Amy to come and sit down with them.

"So, Amy…" Penny started. "Tell us more about yourself."

Amy had always deemed herself uninteresting enough to be a center of a conversation, that's why she didn't know where to start. Knowing that some of them are her colleagues at work, she decided to just fill them in about her academic career. "Well, I got my PhD in Neurobiology from Harvard three years ago. I've been engrossed with the study of addiction, so I did a lot of post-doctoral research about it. At first, I don't intend to leave Harvard but President Siebert offered me to lead the newly formed Neurobiology team in Caltech so, here I am."

"President Siebert offered you the job personally? Wow, you must be really someone really big in that Neurobiology thing." Penny remarked, grinning. She felt blood rush through her cheeks because of her compliment.

"I don't know, but I have been featured in some scientific journals and magazines." Amy replied humbly.

"Have you, by any chance, been featured in Neutron, the Biology magazine?" Bernadette inquired.

"Yes, I have been on the cover twice."

The bespectacled blonde clapped her hands in realization. "Now that explains why your face was so familiar!"

Most of the people she knew who are blonde and beautiful only spent their time trying to make themselves appear more beautiful with the use of cosmetics, so Amy was surprised that a woman as beautiful as Bernadette enjoyed reading scientific magazines like Neutron. "You read Neutron?" she asked.

"Yup, I have a monthly subscription to it, sponsored by my company." Bernadette casually replied. "I forgot to tell you, I have a PhD in Microbiology. I develop drugs and other medicine-related stuff."

Amy's mouth fell open about what Bernadette just said. If she didn't take up Neurobiology, she was certain that she'd end up being in the field of Microbiology. She wanted to ask a lot of questions about her work, but then she realized that tonight is not a great time to talk about it. Tonight was about socialization, not merely Science talk. She made up her mind to invite her for coffee some time to talk about their respective fields in Biology.

"Let's skip the pig latin and focus on the juicy details." Penny interjected. "Can you share us how you and our Shelly met each other?"

The memories of that day suddenly hit Amy. Amy looked at everyone, whose eyes were fixed on her. It was never meant to go this far, for it was supposed to be a one-time thing. She only made an account on that preposterous dating site to meet someone whom she can date so that her mom would stop pestering her. Never had she imagined that after two years, she would eventually meet the guy who ditched her on their date and that she would agree to having dinner at _his_ apartment with _his_ friends.

"I encountered Sheldon on a dating site. It is my obligation to my mother to attend to at least one date annually."

"So, that does mean that when Sheldon ditched you, you had to look for another guy to date?" Leonard questioned.

"Yes. I found another guy on the same dating site I used to match with Sheldon. Unfortunately, that date also ended badly." She narrated as she recalled the date she had after the one was supposed to have with Sheldon. The guy wasn't that bad, he worked as a Chemistry professor in a local high school. The only problem was instead of trying to get to know Amy, he spent their entire date talking about his thirteen dogs. Amy was fond of animals (especially monkeys) so she was initially thrilled to know that she and her date had something in common. However, when Amy tries to shift the topic, he only reverts the discussion back to his dogs and how adorably cute they are when they sleep. In the end, Amy stormed out of the café and indulged herself with books to quell her anger.

Sheldon stared at Amy as she told them about her unsuccessful date. This dinner was supposed to alleviate his guilt, not intensify it. Sheldon thought that if he just showed up at the café, then she wouldn't have to experience spending a few hours listening to a man who kept on blabbering about his dogs. Also, Sheldon can't help but wonder about the possibilities that might happen if he decided to push through with his supposed date with Amy Farrah Fowler. _Would he enjoy spending time with her? Would they end up being friends? _

Sheldon was snapped back to reality when he heard laughing sounds from his friends. Seems like Amy told them a few funny stories about her previous dates.

"During college, I hired someone to accompany me to a party and to act as my fake boyfriend. Little did I know that the guy I hired was the boyfriend of one of my classmates! When my classmate saw us, she drenched my white dress in plum juice." Amy said, laughing.

"That's unfortunate!" Howard commented, trying to suppress his laughter.

"Good thing I was living in a dormitory back then, or else my mom would kill me if she knew that I attended that party."

Penny placed her hand on Amy's lap. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, sweetie." She apologized with all sincerity. Amy shook her head in response. "No, no, I'm completely over it. I knew I was different that's why the people who didn't understand me did their best to make my life miserable." There was a faint sadness in Amy's voice. While she always boasted being unique from other people, there was also a part in her that wanted to be just like everyone else. If she was like everyone, then she wouldn't have to experience all the hardships that her classmates put her in throughout her life.

"I do agree with you, for I too have my own share hardships as a child. However, these hardships only helped me grow more as a person. Without it, I don't think I will be who I currently am." Sheldon remarked.

Amy was relieved that there was someone she could relate to, someone who shared almost the same experiences she had as a child. She was sure that at some point in his life, he was also subjected to the ridicule of his peers because of his intelligence.

"Who's starving? Let's dig in and continue this conversation while we're eating." Raj said as he flipped the pizza box open. The group munched their pizzas as they talked about things about their lives. Penny shared her distress about not getting the part she auditioned for in a play, Raj talked about his plans on adopting a dog and naming it cinnamon, Leonard and Howard disclosed their plans for a new satellite, Bernadette whined about her boss who didn't give her office its own coffee maker, and Sheldon expressed his annoyance regarding the jello in the cafeteria earlier.

Amy couldn't help but observe the group in awe, since everyone seemed to be so comfortable with each other. _Is this what having friends looked like?_ A part of her somehow envied Sheldon for having this wonderful group of friends. She wanted to have friends too, friends whom she can share her worries and thoughts, friends who will stay with her when times are tough, and friends whom she can be comfortable with.

"Hey Ames, you okay?" Penny asked as she noticed Amy suddenly spacing out.

"No—I meant yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry for spacing out like that." Amy replied. "And, Ames? Was that supposed to be me?"

Penny let out a small laugh as she looked at Amy's confused face. "I'm sorry sweetie, I just like making up nicknames for my friends. But if you don't like it, I can always revert it back to Amy."

_Friend. _

_Penny considers her as her friend. _

She wanted to scream and jump out of joy. It was the very first time that someone acknowledged her as their friend.

"No worries, Penny." She said as she tried to hide her grin. "Ames is fine."

* * *

Indeed, time flies when you are having fun. It was already 11 pm, and Amy lost track of time because she enjoyed the conversations she shared with the group throughout their dinner. As much as she wanted to stay longer, she knew she had to go home because she had work tomorrow.

"I had a great time tonight, thank you for inviting me to dinner." Amy courteously thanked everyone.

"We enjoyed hanging out with you, Amy. Would you mind if we invite you again sometime soon?" Leonard asked.

"Of course, that works for me."

Amy stood up from her place on the couch, Penny and Bernadette encased her into a hug before she reached for her coat and purse. "It was lovely meeting all of you." She remarked as she stepped out of the group's circle and walked towards the door.

"Wait," Sheldon's plead stopped Amy from opening the door. "Let me walk you to your car."

Amy just nodded and smiled at his kind gesture. Sheldon took her nod as a yes and went to follow her outside. Amy looked at him intently as he shut the door of 4A.

"You have wonderful friends, Sheldon. Thank you for inviting them, I really had a wonderful time." Amy remarked as Sheldon walked alongside her.

"Yes, they are indeed a delightful group of peers." Sheldon commented.

"I hope I could find friends like that too." She whispered to herself, but Sheldon was able to hear her. Sheldon wasn't good at deciphering emotions, but he was sure that he heard pain and sadness in her voice. Sheldon then remembered the stories Amy told about her childhood. Her experiences mirrored Sheldon's own, so he knew firsthand how tough it must've been for her, living her entire life inside the four walls of her home.

Before they could even reach the door of the lobby, Sheldon ceased walking. The seriousness in his face made Amy wonder if she did something wrong to upset him.

"What's the matter, Sheldon?" she asked.

"I won't object to the idea of being your friend."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You have told us stories about your terrible childhood, how you were never allowed to interact with other people and that you never had any friends." Sheldon firmly narrated. "So, I'm telling you that if you're interested, I'm willing to be your friend."

Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing. _Someone actually wanted to be friends with her?_ _What kind of dream is this? _

"L-Let me make this clear, a-are you proposing that we engage in a friendly relationship?"

Given his fear of rejection, Sheldon wanted to convince Amy he was serious about intentions of being her friend. He didn't respond quickly to Amy's question and instead, he tried to articulate a good reason that would make Amy accept his proposal.

"I am. With the short amount of time I've spent with you, I have seen that you're a person worthy of being a friend of someone as brilliant as I am. For starters, we can have a vast variety of topics to talk about since the both are in the field of Science. Also, you seem to enjoy learning new things so befriending me would enable you to befriend a walking and talking Encyclopedia. Lastly," his voice trailed off. "I have enjoyed your company for the past three hours and forty-five minutes."

Amy was taken aback by the sincerity of Sheldon's words. She couldn't help but give him the warmest smile she could offer. "I'd love that." Amy responded.

Sheldon started walking once again. He opened the door of the lobby for Amy as a Texan gentleman would. "Very well, I will be emailing you all my social media accounts so that we can keep in touch."

"I couldn't thank you enough, Sheldon. Have a great night ahead." Amy said after opening the door of her car.

"Consider yourself lucky Amy Farrah Fowler, not all people are friends with the great Sheldon Cooper." Sheldon whispered to himself as he watched Amy drive away from Los Robles.


	5. The Relationship Invitation

Amy and Sheldon established a "friendly relationship" after the dinner. Some nights, Leonard would catch Sheldon talking to Amy via skype or he would see Amy in their apartment playing "counterfactuals", a game they invented together. He didn't mind her presence, though. In fact, he was overjoyed to see that Sheldon was able to befriend someone who oddly resembles himself. Due to Amy's frequent visitation, they decided to invite her to their weekly dinners as well. Sheldon was worried that they might treat her a bit differently, given that she's as special as he is. Luckily, the gang welcomed her with open arms, allowing Amy to blend in over time. Sheldon's "once" closeted friend started going on bars due to Penny and Bernadette's influence. Sometimes, if they're not in the mood to drink, they'd go to the bowling center or to the theater to watch a chick-flick movie together.

If asked, Amy would definitely say that the past few months of her life in Caltech had been the most blissful she'd ever had in her entire life. She was surrounded by wonderful people, not to mention that her research team is also doing well enough to beat the university's deadline. The only thing that bothers her is the fact that any moment now, her mother will contact her once again. Not that she didn't want to communicate with her, she just hates the fact that her mother is so obsessed with finding the perfect mate for her. Over the years, her mother had successfully arranged her on numerous dates without her knowledge so she won't even be surprised if her mom decides to sign her up for another one this year.

_Getting married, starting a family… _Oh, if her mother only knew how many times those thoughts enter her mind each day. The hugging, the smooching, the cuddling, she wanted all of it. Her mom always reasoned that all Amy needed was a little push, but she thinks that her mom tends to go overboard sometimes. She's supposed to meet men out of her own will, not because of her annual obligation to her mother. Amy feels that going on dates out of respect to her mother's wishes draws her farther from the "true love" she was aiming to find.

As expected, the message of Amy's mom came a few weeks before May ended. Her mom's messages really frustrated Amy to death. The change in her demeanor was palpable that even the robotic Sheldon Cooper was able to notice it.

"I want to watch Pride and Prejudice tonight."

Sheldon looked at her, confused. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Besides, you have an eidetic memory, I'm very sure that you remember every single word that I just said." Amy replied as she started straightening her skirt. Her green eyes never left his face as she awaited his answer.

"Where is this sassy attitude coming from, _Amy Farrah Fowler?_' Sheldon crossed his arms, hesitant to give Amy the remote control. He was taken aback by her sudden declaration. Normal Amy would never, _never_, question his choice of movie. Something is off with her tonight and as a respectable scientist, it was his job to find out what that is.

"I have always been sassy, _Sheldon Lee Cooper_. If you don't mind, hand me the remote now."

"What is wrong with you? You seem testy."

Amy let out a long sigh. _There, even Sheldon noticed it._

"I'm just, I don't know… Mad? Pressured? Stressed?" she tried averting her gaze from the lanky physicist before her. "Maybe, all of the above?"

For all Sheldon knows, Amy Farrah Fowler had always been certain and confident. But right now, she's so vulnerable, as if she's a glass that's about to break any minute now.

"You know," Sheldon scooted closer to Amy, partially closing the huge gap between them. "My mom used to do something when I'm upset. If you want to try it, I'd be glad to oblige you."

A soft smile escaped Amy's face upon hearing his offer. "What kind of scientist would I be if I'd refuse this experiment?"

Sheldon completely closed the gap and enveloped Amy into a tight and warm hug. This gesture surprised Amy at first but eventually, she got the hang of it.

_Soft kitty,_

_Warm kitty,_

_Little ball of fur,_

_Happy kitty,_

_Sleepy kitty,_

_Purr, purr, purr_

"Again." she commanded. Given her emotional instability, Sheldon decided to oblige her once again.

As he continued cradling her, her thoughts drifted to how lucky Sheldon was to have such a kind and loving mother. She hasn't met her personally yet but based on Sheldon's stories, she's quite the opposite of her mother. She had supported him in all his endeavors, something that her mother never did her entire life. Amy hated the fact that even as an adult, she still wants to please her mother.

Amy tried to keep her tears to herself, but she was unable to, Recalling her rough relationship with her mother is very difficult for her and each time she does it, it only makes her cry.

Sheldon was about to let her go when he saw tears run down Amy's flush cheeks.

"Amy, you know that I'm not good at recognizing emotions but I can clearly see that something is wrong." Sheldon felt Amy pull away from his hug. She removed her glasses on and started wiping her tears. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to be of good company tonight."

"It's fine. Now, can we resume our postponed movie night?"

"Yeah, sure. Just pick out a movie you like."

Sheldon nodded in response as he grasped the remote control that was lying at the top of the center table. He rummaged through the CDs they rented while Amy started sipping the chamomile tea that she abandoned earlier.

When he was done putting the CD on the player, he came back to his spot on the couch. Amy was secretly hoping that he picked out something from Star Wars, for she was curious to know more about Han and Leia's relationship. She never told Sheldon that out of all the movies they've watched in the past, Star Wars was the only sci-fi franchise that she genuinely liked.

Much to her surprise, there wasn't a sci-fi movie waiting for her tonight.

Amy gasped upon looking at the tv screen. She glanced at Sheldon, whose eyes were fixed on the screen.

_She can't believe that she was able to make Sheldon Cooper watch Pride and Prejudice._

* * *

Amy hummed as she cleaned her used glassware. Her mom finally agreed to cancel the date if she sends a proof that she was able to date someone before their agreed deadline. She was desperate, yes, but not desperate enough to pick some random guy on the street to date with. She dismissed the thought of engaging on online dating sites again, given the horrendous dating experiences that the damned sites had given her. She needed an idea, something that would produce great results even if she exerted minimal effort.

Amy decided to leave the laboratory earlier than usual to pick up some ideas. Before she was able to leave the building, a grad student tapped her shoulder.

"The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss!" The young man dressed in a bellman's costume said as he swung his arms to his chest. Amy stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to do next.

"Uh... Can I help you?"

The man, who was now aware of Amy's confusion, bowed before her and extended his arm. "We have a play tomorrow entitled Romeo and Juliet and you can watch it for free! Here, take a flyer. Just present the stub at the bottom portion to get a free popcorn with a flavor of your choice!"

* * *

Amy took the pamphlet and afterward, the man waved her goodbye. She drove home with a bright smile plastered on her face. At last, a feasible idea finally hit her.

It's lunchtime and Sheldon and Leonard are walking towards the cafeteria. Leonard was visibly irked after hearing Sheldon's stories about Barry Kripke, the physicist Sheldon is currently working with. He didn't want to admit it in front of Sheldon, but Kripke is actually not bad of a physicist himself. He worked on a lot of research teams prior to applying to Caltech and has been recognized in numerous scientific journals. While Leonard thinks that joining the two would lead to a great breakthrough in the field of theoretical physics, he felt that Sheldon's unnecessary complaints were about to cut his extremely long patience.

On the way to the cafeteria, they saw Bert from Geology rushing towards them.

"Hey, hey, stop right there." Sheldon raised his palm in front of him, making Bert stop. "This is towards the physics department. What shady plan are you up to now, Bert?"

Panting, Bert clutched his chest and glared at the two men in front of him. "Look, I don't have time to deal with you. My future girlfriend is waiting by the biology department. See you!" he said as he shoved the two of them to the side.

The encounter with Bert left Sheldon and Leonard dumfounded. "Even Bert has a girlfriend? What the hell!" Leonard exclaimed.

"I don't care whose lip Bert is smooching, Leonard. Either way, let's just get this over with so I could resume my work now."

Sheldon sat at his normal spot in the table. His foul mood was quickly erased as he munched his favorite jello quietly. A few minutes after, Howard joined them for lunch.

"Oh, hey Howard. Where's Raj?" Leonard asked.

"I don't know. He was acting so strange earlier when I saw him. I saw him giggling like a love-struck teenager and I tell you, it's not a sight that you'd want to see." Howard replied as he placed his tray on the table.

"Isn't he like that all the time?"

"You have a point. But still, he was extra giggly this morning. He was muttering things to himself, but the only words that I was able to comprehend are _biology _and _girlfriend_."

Hearing those two words made Sheldon stop from eating. "Strange, Bert said he was also headed to the biology department to meet his 'future girlfriend'."

"Well, let's try not to overthink about it. Maybe they hired a bunch of new attractive women in the biology department?" Leonard said as he diverted his attention to his unfinished lunch.

Sheldon shook his head in response. "You have a fair point. Anyway, while you spend your lunchtime talking about this relationship nonsense, I'll be heading back to my office. As much as I hate being around Barry Kripke, I have no choice but to work alongside him for the next six months. I'm trying to speed things up if you know what I mean." he said, winking. Leonard let out a loud groan as he watched Sheldon walk away from the cafeteria.

"I hope the heavens would grant me patience for the next six months." the bespectacled physicist whispered to himself.

* * *

Sheldon's phone beeped. It was Kripke.

** _"Sorry Cooper, I will be late. Just headed to the biology dept. See u later, loser."_ **

Sheldon stared at his phone in disbelief. Bert, Raj, and now Kripke? What on earth are they doing in the biology department?

He was about to return to the cafeteria to tell Leonard what happened but then, the announcement board near his office got his attention.

** _URGENT HIRING: BOYFRIEND_ **

_Qualifications:_

\- _Must have a Ph.D. In any field of the academe_

\- _Eloquent and has great social skills_

\- _Has adequate knowledge about dancing_

\- _Willing to go on family reunions_

\- _Can play any musical instrument_

_If you think you are qualified, please drop your resume at Room 202 of the Biology Department. Accepted applicants will undergo further evaluation through a series of interviews and compatibility tests._

_For other concerns and inquiries, contact Amy Farrah Fowler of the Biology Department via email or landline._


	6. The Boyfriend Application

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who are continuously following this story! Whether you're active in reviewing or a silent reader, please know that I appreciate the effort (and patience!) you're exerting in reading this work.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

** _URGENT HIRING: BOYFRIEND _ ** ** **

_Qualifications: _

  * _Must have a Ph.D. In any field of the academe_
  * _Eloquent and has great social skills_
  * _Has adequate knowledge about dancing_
  * _Willing to go on family reunions _
  * _Can play any musical instrument_

_If you think you are qualified, please drop your resume at Room 202 of the Biology Department. Accepted applicants will undergo further evaluation through a series of interviews and compatibility tests. _

_For other concerns and inquiries, contact Amy Farrah Fowler via email: _ [ _affowler@caltech.edu_ ](mailto:affowler@caltech.edu) _._

Sheldon looked intensely at the flyer before him, still shocked by what he just read. He was certain that the Amy he knows would never post something as scandalous as this in a public area. However, if it was really Amy’s doing, there must’ve been a reason behind it. Without another thought, he grabbed the flyer on the wall and marched his way towards the biology department

The moment he reached her door, he did his signature three knock ritual. Upon hearing the familiar knock, Amy opened the door, expecting to see her friend

“Hello, Sheldon. What brings you here?” Amy asked as she swung the door open. She opened her palms and urged him to come inside her laboratory.

Amy walked towards her working table where a freshly dissected brain is currently sitting. She put on a pair of latex gloves then grabbed her scalpel. “Would you mind if I continued working while you talk? I really need to finish dissecting this one right now.

“It’s fine.” Sheldon replied while he situated himself on the chair beside Amy’s working table. “I’m sorry for the sudden intrusion. I just went here to clarify something.

“What is it?"

Sheldon quickly searched the flyer he placed on his pocket earlier. He spread the paper open, presenting its content to Amy.

“You’ve seen that, huh.” Amy chuckled as she gazed upon the flyer.

“Mind explaining why you posted such a scandalous poster in a public area, little lady?” Sheldon pried with a hint of disappointment clearly visible in his tone. 

Amy sighed out of defeat. Sheldon did not care about other people’s personal affairs and yet, she knows that he had been keeping a close eye on her for the past few days. Due to his persistence, Amy knew that Sheldon would know what she was up to eventually. Even though they’ve built a friendly relationship with each other, Amy was aware that their friendship is only on an intellectual level. Sheldon would never listen to her personal dilemmas unless it’s about work so she had to resolve things by herself.

“I think I have mentioned before that dating is my annual obligation to my mother. Two weeks ago, my mother messaged me, saying that she had already arranged a blind date for me this year. The past dates I had with the people my mom recommended didn’t work well so this year, I challenged her to a wager.” Amy looked at Sheldon, who was listening to her attentively. “I said that if I’ll be able to send proof that I’ve dated someone before the day of my supposed date, she’ll call off the agreement she had with the guy I was ought to date.”

“But the flyer says that you’re looking for a boyfriend, not a date. Why is that?"

Amy glared at the man beside her, uncertain of how to explain relationships to an emotionless person like Sheldon.

“Look, Sheldon, I’ve devoted the last 33 years of my life to the advancement of science. While everyone I know is already getting married and having kids, I was in the laboratory, trying to unravel the mysteries that this world has to offer. Don’t get me wrong, I like my job. I just want to experience new things that even science can’t offer me.”

A wrinkle formed on Sheldon’s forehead upon hearing her words. “But Amy, how can science be boring? Science is the center of everything, it explains the reason why everything exists and—”

“I’m talking about love, Sheldon.” Amy let out a small smile. “I know this is a lot to take in but believe me, I know what I’m doing. And besides, the flyer helped me get in contact with some promising boyfriend candidates.” she winked as she opened her drawer and revealed a small pile of papers.

“My ‘flyer experiment’ had proven itself to be a massive success. For the last four days, I have received 16 resumes from various people around the university. I was planning to keep the flyer on the announcement board for a week, but I was afraid that the HR might notice it if I placed it there for that long.” Amy took the flyer from Sheldon, causing a surprised gasp from him. “Thankfully, you got rid of the evidence for me.”

Sheldon reached for the pile of paper that Amy showed him to know the people who applied to be Amy’s potential boyfriend. Amy was a noted scientist in her field, so it wasn’t a surprise to Sheldon that a lot of people wants to take their shot with her. As he continues skimming through the papers, a familiar name caught his attention.

“Barry Kripke.” he whispered with contempt, but Amy was able to hear him.

“Oh, you know him? He seemed nice when he personally handed me his resume. Don’t tell anyone, but he was one of the few guys who passed my initial assessment.”

Sheldon suddenly felt his blood boil. He could not believe that out of all the applicants, Amy is considering Barry Kripke, his mortal enemy, as a potential boyfriend. 

“He’s nowhere near nice, Amy! He’s my research partner and believe me, he’s not as good as you think.” Sheldon exclaimed.

“Let me see it for myself, then. If I were to assess everyone based on their resumes alone, he’d be the best candidate.”

“Have you been listening to everything I just said?” Sheldon angrily pulled Kripke’s paper from the pile. “You have to dismiss his application.”

Amy put down her scalpel and tried to get Kripke’s resume from Sheldon. “My personal deadline for resumes is this afternoon. Unless someone better than him comes along, you have no choice but to accept the fact that I am considering Barry Kripke as a potential boyfriend.”

Despite the adequate amount of oxygen in Amy’s laboratory, Sheldon still felt like he was suffocating. He knew that he needed to get out of there before a panic attack befalls him.

“You know what, date whoever you want. I don’t care.” Sheldon gave Kripke’s resume to Amy and walked away as if nothing happened.

Sheldon went back to his office, surprised to see that his mortal enemy was back.

“Hey, Cwooper! Didya get my mwessage?” he asked as he momentarily stopped writing equations on the whiteboard.

“Yes. Did you have lunch already?”

“Uh, nope.”

“Good, grab some food first before we commence our work. It’s not appropriate to work with an empty stomach, am I right?”

Kripke looked confused, but he eventually decided that Sheldon did have a good point. “Vewy well, I’ll see you in thwirty minutes.”

After successfully shoving Kripke out of his office, he praised himself for exhibiting a huge amount of self-control around Kripke after the situation in Amy’s laboratory. He could have punched Kripke in the face upon laying his eyes on him, but he didn’t. Unfortunately, despite of his façade earlier, he was nowhere near calm. He still had a job to accomplish, that is to make sure that Amy doesn’t end up with his mortal enemy.

With a plan mapped in his mind, Sheldon turned on his laptop.

Sheldon stared at the blank document for a moment, dubious of what to do next.

_Amy is my friend. I’m doing this to save her from future pain. _

After making up his mind, he started filling the blank document.

** _Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D._ **

** _Theoretical Physicist_ **

** _Caltech Institute of Technology_ **

** _Pasadena, California, USA_ **

* * *

Twenty-five minutes was all it took Sheldon to finish a 10-paged resume. Amy never mentioned what time her deadline was so he just simply assumed that she’d accept resumes before her shift was over. He hastily printed his resume, afraid to let Kripke see what he had been working on for the past twenty-five minutes. After printing his resume, he went to Amy’s laboratory immediately. Once he was sure that no one was looking, he dropped the printed resume on her mailbox and ran as quickly as he could.

Sheldon had expected Kripke to come back from lunch break, that is why it shocked him to see that his office was still empty. Since Kripke wasn’t there, he continued his work gleefully.

A few minutes after, a knock resonated within his office. “Ugh, what is it, Kripke?” he asked, irritated.

“It’s Leonard.” Sheldon stopped writing upon and turned to the bespectacled physicist after hearing his name. “Something happened in the cafeteria, I thought you’d want to witness it for yourself.”

Sheldon let out a groan. “What could be more important than exploring string theory?”

“Just trust me.”

Sheldon sighed and crossed his arms. “This better be good, Leonard. Or else, you’d be violating section 8, article 3 of the Roommate Agreement which states that we are not allowed to interrupt each other during work hours.”

Leonard rolled his eyes as they continued walking towards the cafeteria. Sheldon immediately noticed a lot of people clumped around the door so they had to go through a lot of people before they were able to enter.

“What are you talking about? She’s mine, dumbass!” a tall and tan-skinned man shouted as he swung his fists into the air. Sheldon wasn’t able to see his face due to his constant movements but given his voice and physique, it was probably Raj.

“She’s not yours!” Kripke exclaimed, trying to dodge Raj’s fists.

“Hey, don’t forget I’m also here!” another voice said, coming from a man with a beard. After looking closely, Sheldon recognized him as Bert from the geology department.

Much to everyone’s amusement, they continued brawling like 10-year old kids. Punches were being thrown one after another, causing the crowd to scream in delight. Sheldon looked at Leonard who was currently taking a video of everything that is happening.

“I can already think of an appropriate title for this video_. ‘Hopeless men with Ph.D. desperately fight for a woman’s affection’_” Leonard giggled.

Just when Sheldon thought that their fight would never end, a woman in a black dress approached the three men.

“Dr. Koothrappali, Dr. Kripke, and Dr. Kibbler.” she uttered, causing the three men to stop fighting. “Come to my office, NOW.”

A thick air suddenly felt the entire cafeteria. When the woman started walking away, they decided to follow her.

“That’s what you get for bending the university rules.” Sheldon proclaimed.

“Says the guy who had been summoned by the HR department three times in a row for removing the suggestion boxes that President Siebert had placed around the university.” Leonard said as he tugged Sheldon’s shirt, signaling that it’s time for them to get back to work.

“I did that so that President Siebert wouldn’t have to receive bad reviews from other people.”

“Yeah, right.” Leonard rolled his eyes once again.

“On the bright side, Kripke is out and I can now resume my work in peace. I do hope he’ll be suspended for a few months so that I wouldn’t have to endure his annoying presence in my office.” Sheldon said as he grasped the doorknob of his office.

Leonard wanted to say more but decided that it was better to keep his mouth shut. Sheldon wasted no time when he got back to his office. He grabbed the marker sitting on his desk commenced his date with the most interesting person in the world, _Mother Science._

* * *

Sheldon was clearly in the ‘zone’ that day. Thanks to Kripke’s absence, he was able to accomplish a lot of things. He told Leonard that he wanted to go home earlier than usual today so they can stop by Stuart’s coming book store to check for new releases. He was already packing his things when a knock disturbed him. He didn’t answer the knock, hoping that Kripke would get the idea that he had already gone home. However, he heard the door creaking slowly as if someone was entering his office.

“Go away, Kripke!” he shouted. When he didn’t hear a response, stopped fixing his bag to see who the intruder was. Much to his surprise, the intruder wasn’t Kripke. It was Amy.

“O-Oh, forgive me. I didn’t know it was you.” Sheldon apologized.

“Sheldon.” Amy stared at him intensely, making his skin crawl. _“I have read your resume.”_

Sheldon suddenly felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He knew that she’d eventually ask about the resume, but he didn’t expect the confrontation to be this soon. He still wasn’t prepared to explain to her the reason for his actions.

“I was called by the HR department while I was skimming your resume. I didn’t know why they asked me to come there at first, but after hearing what happened today, I think it is safe to assume that my experiment had its own weaknesses.” she explained without a hint of emotion visible in her face. “15-year old Amy would’ve been happy to know that men are fighting over her affection. But 33-year old Amy? She’d be furious. _Really, really furious._”

Amy crossed his arms before she continued. “After seeing how they acted without thinking today, I can no longer push through with the experiment. However, since you decided to turn up your resume earlier, an idea struck my mind.”

Sheldon gave her a confused look. “What do you mean?”

“Those three were the ones I was considering as a potential boyfriend. Now that they’re on each other’s throats because of me, I could not choose between them. Given that the deadline of my mother is rapidly approaching, I have a proposal to offer you. You can act as my fake boyfriend for the meantime to halt my supposed date.”

“And how is this supposed to benefit me?”

Amy grinned mischievously. “You won’t unless you want our social group to know that you sent me a resume for my boyfriend application experiment?” Amy winked, evidently blackmailing Sheldon.

Sheldon contemplated about her offer. If he looked at it in another perspective, Amy’s proposed experiment would also benefit him because it will drive away the persistent Ramona Nowitzki.

“Counterproposal. I will agree acting as your fake boyfriend if you will drive everywhere without whining. In case I need your assistance, I want you to drop everything you’re doing (unless they’re of utmost importance) and immediately attend to my needs.”

Amy let out a smile in response. She stretched out her arms and offered the lanky physicist her hand. “Seems like you’ve got yourself a deal.”

Sheldon took Amy’s petite hand and started shaking it. “Before this goes any further, I’d like you to personally ask me to be your fake boyfriend for formality.” 

“Do I have to? We already agreed to the terms.”

“You know how much I need closure, Amy.” he smirked. “Just say the word and I am all yours.”

Amy shot him a look of disbelief. _The audacity of this man! _

Despite of irritation, she knew that she had no choice but to oblige him, or else, he’ll continue to pester her. After taking a deep breath, she collected all the courage she could muster.

_“Sheldon Lee Cooper, can you be my fake boyfriend?” _

**Author's Note:**

> One chapter down! Please stay tuned for the following chapters. Also, let me know what you think about it!


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